


trick or treat

by liionne



Series: horrifying house guests [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bit of Fluff, Cute Kids, Halloween, M/M, Trick or Treating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-18
Updated: 2014-10-18
Packaged: 2018-02-21 17:17:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2476121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liionne/pseuds/liionne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky, Steve and Nat go to Sam's for Halloween, to watch some movies, pig out a little, have a few drinks— and end up babysitting Sam's nephews and niece.</p>
            </blockquote>





	trick or treat

**Author's Note:**

> This is another one of those things I loved at the beginning and hated the end, so I do apologise. This probably isn't going to be the only Halloween thing I post though, to be honest, so if you're left unsatisfied by this there's probably more to come. Apologies for any spelling mistakes, etc.

Tony announces that this year, all of the Avengers are celebrating Halloween at his Stark Industry funded Monster Mash Ball, with over 200 other people attending the ticketed event with 90% of proceeds going to various charities in the state and out of the state, and 5% going to paying little bits of the actual party (which means booze) and 5% going to the Avengers' funds, which they use to pay for the city when they've damaged it and stuff like that. It's going to be a big event, hundreds of people, loads of drink-

Which is why at ten o'clock in the morning Steve, Bucky and Natasha put their overnight bags in the trunk of Steve's car, put the dog in the back (they're leaving the cat, Bucky's kinda glad) and get in. Nat lounges in the back seat with Leto whilst Steve and Bucky sit up front, and together, they head off for DC.

It's the first time they've properly visited Sam since they moved into the Tower, and they miss him, in all honesty. He wasn't prepared to just up and leave his home because Steve and Bucky where moving to Manhattan, and Steve gets that. All of his family are in DC (Steve knows he has a sister, and his parents) and his job is in DC and everything he knows is in DC; that's his home. The two of them, and Natasha, understand that, no matter how much they'd like to see him more often.

But he's promised them a peaceful Halloween, watching the very best horror movies and eating tonnes of junk food and catching up, because it's been a while. To Bucky, it sounds much better because it means only a few people, none of which are wearing masks to hide their faces and costumes that easily conceal weapons. To Steve, it sounds much better because it means that Bucky's comfortable and happy and content, and that's kind of all he wants from life right now, and for Natasha- Well she just wants to see Sam. And she's in it for the horror movies. Natasha loves horror movies.

When they pull up at Sam's house it's just gone 4 in the afternoon. They should have been there an hour earlier, but their one hour stop for lunch turned into an hour and a half stop for lunch when Leto ran off, and they got a little lost through the maze of houses on the way here, which added on the other half an hour. But anyway, when Sam opens the door he grins at them, automatically pulling Steve and Natasha into hugs respectively, and clapping Bucky on the shoulder. He's still not too great with the intimacy thing, unless it's with Steve, and Sam gets that.

"Man, it's good to see you guys," He grins, stepping back from the door a little to let them in. "And don't worry, I'm going to be kicking the kids out in-"

There's a piercing wail as a fairy runs through the hall behind Sam, chased by a pirate, and then again by a vampire. Bucky stands a little more still and his hand clenches around the leash he's holding. Leto yaps and scurries forward, trying to get in on the fun, but Bucky keeps him back by his side.

Sam winces, as does Steve, but Natasha seems unphased. She smiles, though, when the same children run back through, although this time the fairy is chasing the pirate and the vampire with a toy sword she apparently stole from said pirate.

"Yeah." Sam says, and he smiles. "Those are my nephews, and my niece. They go trick or treating in this neighbourhood; more candy. But their mom's taking them, so we'll be kid free in a little while."

Steve is about to tell him he doesn't mind, because Steve likes kids, but Bucky's looking a little terrified by his side so he smiles gratefully at Sam, and gives Bucky's hand a squeeze.

They step inside, and in the living room there's a woman who looks vaguely like Sam fixing the skirt of the fairy whilst she whacks the sword off her mother's shoulder.

"Guys," Sam calls, and the kids all stop to look at him. "This is Steve, Bucky and Natasha. You gonna say hi?"

There's a choruse of hellos as their mother - Sam's sister - looks up, and gives them a smile. She stands, straightens her clothes a little, and then urges the fairy off to go play. "Hi- I'm Sarah. The kids- that's Gideon, he's dressed as the pirate, and Jim, and Jody. They're a little hyper, I'm sorry-"

Steve wonders how much she knows, but she must be a lot like Sam, because she doesn't ask questions and she just smiles until her phone rings. She reaches for it, huffs at the name she sees, and excuses herself.

"Bucky," Steve hisses, as Natasha goes to take a seat on the couch and Bucky worries at his lip. He turns, hands finding Bucky's hips. "Bucky, it's fine. Alright? I don't know what you're worried about, but-"

"I don't want to hurt them." Bucky says in a whisper, eyes flicking to the children and then back.

Steve deflates. "You're not, Buck. You're not gonna hurt 'em. I know it."

"You promise you'll stop me?" Bucky whispers.

Honestly, this is the worst Steve's seen Bucky since... not even since he attacked Tony, since before that. Bucky has been _Bucky_ for a long time now, almost back to the Bucky Steve knew during the war, at least, (he doubts the Bucky from _before_ the war will ever come back) but now he's on edge, he's twitchy. Steve nods, and gives Bucky a small smile.

"I promise." He says. "But it's not going to come to that."

Bucky just nods, a little numbly, and it's then that Steve notices Sarah hang up the phone, looking rather angry. Bucky pulls the puppy up into his arms.

"Sam- I have to go to work." Sarah says, shoving her phone into her pocket. "It's an emergency- can you take the kids? I swear to god, just for an hour- I'm not staying longer than that on my night off."

Sam looks from Steve to Bucky to Natasha, and then back to Bucky, and chews his lip. "Yeah." He nods. "Yeah, sure."

Sarah smiles. "Thank you." She says, pressing a kiss to his cheek. She kisses each child in turn, and then waves to the others. "It was nice to meet you all!" She says as she leaves.

The kids squeal, going back to their playing, and Sam sits down on the coffee table. Everyone else sits on the sofa, puppy included.

"I can take them on my own. You guys can stay here." Sam says.

"No- No, I'll go." Steve offers immediately, and he hears Bucky huff beside him. "I like kids."

Sam smiles. "Thanks, man. Not sure I can handle all three of them alone on Halloween. They're hyped up."

"I'm going with you." Bucky says abruptly. All three of them turn to look at him, but Bucky's looking at Steve. "Me and Leto, we're going with you."

Steve nods. He does trust Bucky, really. Sam's looking between the two of them, and he gives a small smile.

"Well I'm not staying here on my lonesome," Natasha says, grinning a little. "So I guess I'll have to come to."

And that's how the four of them end up taking the kids trick or treating.

~*~

In the ten seconds it takes them to leave the house and get out onto the sidewalk - where there are already lots of other parents and children out trick or treating, or beginning to, anyway - Steve learns that Jim is six, he really likes cats but his favourite colour is blue and he wanted to go as an avenger this year because he really likes the Hulk but they were all out of Hulk costumes.

Steve chuckles and keeps asking questions, giving little fillers like "oh" and "wow" and "really?" because the kid is cute. Natasha walks beside them with Jody, and Sam walks up front trying to get Gideon to slow down.

Bucky walks in the back, with Leto, dragging his feet.

"This house! This one, it looks good!" Gideon says, as they begin to walk up the sidewalk. Sam and Natasha take all three of them to the door, whilst Bucky and Steve hang back. "Am I doing alright?" Bucky asks.

Steve nods. Even though all they've done is walked a little way, he's seen Bucky flinching, seen him eyeing every adult on the block. "You're doing great."

They hit three more houses before one of the kids reaches for Bucky's metal hand, and he flinches. Jody slips her little hand into his and Steve sees the fear of God in Bucky's eyes. Natasha goes to rebuke her, but she says, "Is that for Halloween?"

The pause is uncomfortable long. "Uh, no, that's- that's just my arm." Bucky explains, his voice a little gruff.

"Oh." Jody murmurs. Steve presses his lips into a thin line. Natasha isn't watching but Steve can tell that she's listening, hair pushed behind her ear and head tilted just a little to hear them better. Sam seems to be paying no attention at all; Steve knows that's not because he doesn't care, but rather because he doesn't see "Bucky + Kids" as a problem. Steve keeps a hold of the little hand in his until Jim decides to run off after his older brother, toward the next house.

"Can I get one?" Jody asks, looking up at Bucky with big dark eyes, and that seemingly floors everyone. Well, everyone except Sam. And the puppy, who's snapping at the tails of Jody's skirt. Natasha trips - the ballerina, the spy, _trips -_ seemingly on thin air, and Steve has to look dead ahead. He manages to catch Bucky's mouth hanging open, though, before he does.

"You don't want one, trust me," He says, keeping his hand perfectly still. His smile is light, but forced. "They're not that great."

"But it's shiny!" Jody exclaims, running a little finger over his knuckles before she takes his hand again. "Shiny, shiny, shiny, shiny-"

She sings it all the way to the next house, where Sam and Natasha take them up to the door. When Steve looks at Bucky, he's smiling just a little.

"-and it's not even for Halloween, it's just his arm! And it's really really shiny, Jimjim, really shiny, and-"

"I wanna see!"

Jim and Gideon marvel at the arm for all of ten seconds before Jody shoos them and takes Bucky's hand again, and an almighty fight almost breaks out over who gets to walk with Bucky next. The trio are only calmed by Sam giving them a stern look - Steve figures he must be the cool Uncle, so when he's stern like that it really drives home his point - and after asking nicely, they set up a rota.

"Gideon doesn't hold hands anymore, man," Sam whispers to Steve as Bucky and Natasha take the kids to the door. Gideon keeps his hand firmly in Bucky's, and the puppy jews at the leg of his trousers. "Kind of fell out of the habit when he hit ten, y'know?"

"You jealous, Wilson?" Steve grins, and Sam's eyebrows almost meet his hairline as he looks over to the kids at the door, a smile curling his lips. "A little bit."

Things get muddled after an hour so. Jody gets tired; it's not even late, but they've done a lot of walking and the excitement has tired her out. Sam has to carry her, her head tucked into the crook of his neck. Steve has somehow been given Leto, Bucky's very own living security blanket, who tries to chew Steve's trouser leg as they walk - Steve decides to google that when he gets home. The puppy does a lot of chewing. Gideon walks by Natasha's side, chatting away furiously, and Jim walks with Bucky, holding his hand and talking about how he's not afraid of anything, not a sigle thing, not even ghosts or vampires or skeletons or aliens or-

Sarah Wilson is leaning against her car, a hand combing through her hair. She smiles when she sees them all, and she looks so tired and yet so grateful that Steve's not sure whether to hug her or send her for a nap.

"Thank you," She says on a sigh, taking a sleeping Jody from her brother. "I'm sorry, guys, really. I know you had better plans-"

"It's fine. Really," Sam says, and Steve nods.

"It was actually kind of fun." He tells her, looking to Bucky, who beams back at him.

"C'mon then kids, get in the car." Sarah says, as she settles Jody onto the booster seat and buckles her in. Gideon gets to ride up front, but Jim hesitates, tugging on Bucky's hand. He whispers something in Bucky's ear, making the elder grin, and as he pulls away, he nods. "Ditto, kid. Although all of you guys are pretty cool." He says. With a bright grin, Jim climbs into the car, and Sarah gives her brother a kiss on the cheek before she climbs in too.

It doesn't take them long to get inside and settled, watching Silent Hill with their feet on the table and popcorn nestled between the four of them. Steve turns to look at Bucky, who has an arm wrapped around him, his head resting against Steve's. The new position puts them with their foreheads together, when Bucky turns to look at him again, and it's nice. A little intimate, what with the darkness surrounding them.

"What did Jimmy say to you?" Steve whispers, and he just about catches a hint of a smile on Bucky's lips before meeting his gaze.

"He said I was the coolest." Bucky grins, and Steve feels himself melt just a tiny bit. He doesn't tell Bucky that, though. There's a startling difference between the Bucky before him now and the Bucky that left the house to go trick or treating, and it makes Steve's chest feel warm. He likes it when Bucky's happy.

"I told you it'd be fine, didn't I?" He says, and he chuckles softly. "Not to say I told you so, but-"

Bucky shoves him a little with his free hand, the metal hand, and Steve chuckles. "I'm always right." Steve adds, and Bucky rolls his eyes.

"Shut the hell up, Rogers." He murmurs, drawing another laugh from Steve. There's a pause, a beat, and then Bucky murmurs, "They were good kids."

"Then you can babysit them more often." Sam replies. "I know Sarah wouldn't mind."

That does just about shut them up. But honestly, Steve doesn't think he would mind that; and by the look on Bucky's face, he's guessing he wouldn't either. 

**Author's Note:**

> I will actually take prompts for Halloween things, in any verses or series I have, either in the comments or over at my tumblr: http://offreedoms.tumblr.com. Anything and everything is welcome!


End file.
